Memoirs of a Happy Panda

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Hands up, who else is a sucker for affordable make up with cute packaging? I’m seeing a few hands up… Perfect. Not just me then!

So Steve and I went shopping last week, only to find a present, and I happened to stumble across a big sale in Kiko Cosmetics… I couldn’t just walk past the shop, that would be rude!

So I’m having a gander at the pretty things, and this sales woman comes over and gives me a basket… This can only mean trouble!

Steve and I spent ages looking at the stands, and I made a few choices. Here is what I got…

So all this for the grand total of £23. Not at all bad. Having looked at the website at the full price of these products, I should have parted with a total closer to £40. But the sale was incredible and the discounts were very tempting.

The first thing I picked up was as the Pencil Lip Gloss in Shade 12. It’s a gorgeous deep red/brown shade, which would ordinarily be perfect for Autumn. It’s a gorgeous creamy consistency and I personally think it would be a stunning shade to wear all year round. Being a pencil it’s convenient for hand bags and travel bags, and glides on so easily.

(RRP £3.90, purchased for £2.70)

Next up is the Eyebrow Marker in Shade 06. It’s a tattoo effect pen which I can only assume its long lasting…I’ll have to try it to see. It’s a lovely brown colour, and I wanted to step away from black as it can be too heavy, especially for work. So this is a welcome addition to my make up collection.

(RRP £5.90, purchased for £4.10)

The next product is a Full Coverage Concealer. Now I could be quite happy to try every concealer going as I have quite dark circles under my eyes. This is such a thick concealer, and when I swatched it on my hand, it was amazing. I was so stunned to see my hand become so light and the area I applied it was fully covered. I hope its the same for under my eyes…. It’s in Shade 01, and there were many shades for all different skin types.

(RRP £7.50, purchased for £5.20)

Here is the beautiful Cream Crush in Shade 04. Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s a lovely light cream in a dark chocolate brown colour. It’s a perfect eye primer, or a stand alone colour for the eyelids. I love this! I highly recommend this product!

(RRP £6.90, purchased for £3.40)

I then went to the eyeshadow section, as I have tried these before and love them. They are very versatile and blend together so easily. They are a velvet consistency, and apply so smoothly. The colours are just beautiful. I could have quite easily got more than these 3, but that would be greedy! The shades are (from top to bottom), 08, 11 and 02.

(RRP £2.50 each, purchased for £1.70)

Lastly, I got a nail varnish. I was so intrigued by this colour. It’s a gorgeous teal green, but I love it. I think it will be prefect for my toe nails when I got on holiday in April. Its a nail varnish. I don’t really have anything else to say about it…. Haha.

(RRP £4.90 purchased for £2.50)

So there it is… A little shopping haul from a wonderful company. I love Kiko and will happily go back and get some more in the future. Have you got anything from the Kiko Range? Do you have an recommendations? Let me know in the comments!

Well hello there… And a happy new year to you all. I hope Christmas was wonderful to you all and you were all spoilt rotten, and I’d like to wish you all the love and happiness for 2018.

My new years resolution is to create more videos and more posts on here. I’ve got a new phone and some apps that will help me achieve this… She says!

So in light of this, I am writing a blog on my thoughts of the Kebelo Clarifying Shampoo that I recently received in my December Birchbox. I’ve started doing videos again, so please check out my channel to see what goodies I got in that.

The shampoo is a sample size, 40ml, and claims to deep cleanse and rejuvenate… Now, I’m not overly fussy when it comes to hair care. I don’t usually read reviews or take notice if adverts on TV. Truth is, I believe them all to be false advertising anyway… A mirror shine to your hair you can see someone’s reflection in it? Please.

However, I am a firm believer of trying products in order to get the full experience… Or some jibberish like that. I’d actually had a tough day at work, so I was keen to try this shampoo as it’s kind of a special treat.

The scent of the shampoo is refreshing and not overpowering. It’s a clear formula that felt quite light when I first applied it. I felt the lather instantly. Now I’m not being paid or sponsored to write this, but it was actually amazing. The shampoo says it removes build up of products – I don’t use a lot of producta in my hair ordinarily, but this morning was a cheat so I threw in the dry shampoo and left it there.

When I was rinsing the shampoo out, my hair was literally squeaking it was that clean!! This is quite a big deal for me, and I think some people will know what I am talking about. Haha!!

Overall, a very impressive product that I am glad to have tried, and am thankful to Birchbox for sending it in December’s box. Thank you!!

Would you be interested in seeing a post about the contents of my Birchboxes, or are you just happy for little reviews? Please let me know!!

I hope you have had a good day, and being that its Friday, a good week! I was supposed to take Luke for a hospital appointment today, which apparently was cancelled and rearranged, and after 16 minutes on the phone to the appointment help desk, 35 minutes on a bus, and countless steps walked around town, trying to burn time….I am finally home and ready to write. The weekend officially begins now, and I am raring to go…with my tea and digestive biscuits! So hardcore!!

So, people say that you have to use a product a few times to like it….does everyday for 6 months count? I’ve been applying my make up in the same way for half a year, as my job doesn’t need me to wear a lot – so my look is relatively natural on a daily basis. I think I can safely give a solid review on these products…6 months of wear = roughly 183 days. Yep, I know these products like the back of my heavily swatched hand!!

So when I get ready in the mornings, I set myself up on my bed, usually perusing Facebook or Instagram (follow me by the way, I’m forever posting…my link is to the right of the screen….go and follow me!!) Sometimes I’ll watch YouTube or play Candy Crush…But I start with foundation. My utter favourite foundation is the Essence Mousse Foundation in Matt Ivory 04. Its a gorgeous consistency – Its a lightweight mousse, but gives a very high level of coverage. I use the tiniest bit, and it goes such a long way. I literally touch the brush into the top of the mousse and apply it, particularly under my eyes as the coverage is amazing (I know I’ve already said that, but I am going to rave about it!) As I am aware, the Essence range is available in Wilkinson, I haven’t yet seen it anywhere else, but that’s not to say it isn’t in other stores. If you see it, please invest in it. The foundation is available in a range of colours to suit a variety of skin tones, and its very affordable at a price of £3.80. What’s not to love?

My next stop is concealer. I have 50 shades of dark under my eyes, and literally need as much concealer I can legally get away with. This not only makes me look less tired, but also ensures I don’t scare the bejeesus out of the babies I look after! My concealer of choice is the E.L.F All Over Colour Stick in Apricot Beige. OMG!!! This concealer is the most amazing product I have EVER used on my under eye circles. This concealer is literally my holy grail product, and I would rave about this until the end of time. I have had this since my first ELF haul back in 2008 – LONG time for me to love and loyally use a product. (I have been re-purchasing it, not actually had this exact stick for 9 years…that’s just wrong!)
I originally purchased this online, but ELF has wonderfully found its way into Superdrug, so this incredible little gem is just a few minutes away!! Never again will I be without!

I then set my foundation with the Collection Sheer Loose Powder. This little beaut of a product has been my go to powder for a long time. Its very light wearing, sheer and leaves my skin feeling smooth and sets everything perfectly. I find it to be light enough to be able to layer for a fuller coverage in problem areas – but its a lovely light, talc-like formula which is just wonderful to use. (Be aware of slight fallout though…my shirt is forever getting snowed on, but if that’s the only drawback, its safe to say its a pretty awesome product!)

Now to add a little colour to my cheeks – otherwise I’m pale as anything. My bronzer of choice is the MAC pressed powder in Dark. I think its supposed to be a setting powder for people with darker skin tones, but it works perfectly for me as a bronzer. (It’s a personal preference!) Anyway, this is one of the only MAC products I own, and I purchased it from CCS (Cosmetics Company Store) in Portsmouth – a make up addicts heaven!! The prices are all cut, and the store is usually full of discontinued lines, which can allow buyers to get their hands on harder to find products. Well, I was like a child in a toy shop, and Steve was so wonderful and let me peruse EVERYTHING!! (Thanks babe!)

When I want a natural look, I’ll always go for the Naked Palette. This was kindly sent to me by my gorgeous friend Hannah, who I still idolise to this day! I love the natural and neutral colours this palette contains, making it a fabulous go to product the whole year round. I combine ‘Naked’ with ‘Smog’ for the perfect brown smokey eye, and this is pretty much my signature look – so if you ever see me, I’ll most likely be wearing that!

I then finish off the look with the Collection Extreme Bold Eyeliner. Its in Black, and I love the utter versatility of this product – take a look at the different lines you can create with this pen…Bold or Thin line, giving you the opportunity to change your liner from soft to dramatic with just a tilt of the pen. Beautiful!! (However, I don’t really have a steady hand, so sometimes my eyeliner looks a little like an ECG, but I do try!)

So there it is – a run down of my daily products, with a little essay about each one…This is my daily make up routine, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to talk to you about each step. Like a mini review…or many mini reviews as this would appear to be.

Thanks for reading this – let me know which products you always reach for…6 months is a long time to use the same make up – but lets be honest, anyone who uses the same things over and over and over and over and over probably proves a love for them!

Well folks, it’s apparently that time of the year again. The leaves are changing, it’s getting colder, evenings are darker…and I feel the need for snuffly socks, warm jumpers, candles and copious amounts of tea. I’m obviously talking about Autumn, and in Autumn, I feel an overwhelming desire to stock up on lipsticks…why, I don’t know, but it seems like the thing to do. Kind of like gloves in the winter and handbags that change dependable on the day of the week. It’s a done deal.

So when I went out with Luke yesterday (we had a mummy/son day) I had a peruse around Superdrug to see their offerings for this amazing season. I looked at the usual places, ELF, Collection, Sleek…my radar is set to these stands…but nothing overly jumped off the shelf at me. (Not literally, as that would be weird…)

That is, at least, until i walked past Freedom. Now, not buying make up as much as I used to, not by a long way, I haven’t really been too savvy on brands, so I had a good look at what Freedom had to offer. I was not disappointed. The colours were perfect for Autumn, and after searching almost everything, I was very controlled and only purchased some lipsticks. I found a box, containing 5 full sized lipsticks, for £5. Now, you don’t need to be a genius to work out the math…that’s £1 per lippie, and that’s an incredible price in today’s market. Prices have been on the up for a little while, with some major brands not succumbing to the cosmetic peer pressure, and have kept their prices the same, or have introduced deals to ensure you get the most for your money (not mentioning any names, but those who shop for make up regularly will know of whom I speak).

So I got the Naked Mattes Collection – 5 professional sized lipsticks, which are 3.2g. It makes me giggle that on the back of the box, it states For Adult Use and External Use Only…there were 6 other collections, so do pop into your local store or have a look online to see the others. Some were bolder colours, there was a pink collection….I should have got more…but I honestly couldn’t justify more lipsticks, in a collection that had been neglected over the years.

On first impressions, I am actually really blown away with the value for money. This would make a perfect stocking filler (or 5 if you wanted to split them out). Personally, I’m keeping all of them, as they are so beautiful.

The colours are gorgeous, wonderful colour pay off and pigmentation, with a very smooth feel. Being matte, they would compliment any look and can keep an au’natural effect to your make up.

1.Naked

2 . Raw

3. Protect

4. Real

5. Truth

I know some people would argue that darker shades are better for Autumn, but I guess it’s down to personal preference. I work in childcare, so the need to wear make up is not massively important…but with weekends and evenings, I prefer nude and natural make up. If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you’ll know this to be true of me. Some things don’t change!!

Thanks for taking the time to read this – photos will follow soon (unless they’re already here, in which case, this is a pointless sentence!)

So….I confess – I forgot about, and massively neglected this blog. It is only by pure chance that I remembered the password!
How have you all been? If you are still following this blog, I appreciate you so much, and apologise for making you wait around for so long. If you’re new here, or you’ve found my blog by accident…thanks for taking the time to read it! My name (for those who haven’t met me before, or have been waiting for a post, you have forgotten me) is Harriet, and I apparently neglect blog posts. I am 33…which is 3 years older since I posted last!! Oops!!

I have a 4, nearly 5 year old son, who has recently started school, and he is loving it! Luke is like a duck to water when he started, and now attends after school clubs as well…hes a gem. He got his first school record the other day, which beamed me with pride!!
My husband Steve is just the best, and will make me laugh until my jaw hurts. Hes ace.

So, where have I been you may be asking….

Basically, I have moved from Somerset (and have finally changed my ‘About Me’ section – which you can read if you want to learn more about me…the random stuff of course…and we have settled into our own little flat, which we own…we have a mortgage and everything…eek….and we have just been loving life. Its a poor excuse I know, but its the honest truth….But, having remembered the password to here, and the actual sheer existence of this blog, I shall be returning on a more regular basis! Mini fanfares to me!!!

Love you all….comment and let me know which blogs you would like – I’m looking to do reviews and general chatty gumph, Christmas ideas (when it gets there) and the occasional guest blog!! Time to make these ideas reality!!

Hey! Look at me!! I’m starting to get on board with this blog thingy! Aren’t you all lucky?!

So I am off on my holidays and have, of corse, been doing a spot of shopping in preparation.
Nothing too major – but I hit the sales and have found a few things to take away with me. I wanted to share!!
So firstly, to my holiday shop hot spot, Primark!

I grabbed a few things for myself, and for Luke. I know my boy has more clothes than I do. But just like me, I wanted him to have some new things to take on his holiday.

I really liked these T-shirts. I decided to get them in 18-24 months so he can grow into then and they will last him well into the summer. It always becomes difficult to know which size to get for babies as they grow so fast.
So to be on the safe side, I always go a size bigger!

Steve also found this Batman rain suit in Tesco! We are very excited about little man exploring the beach and not getting too wet and cold. With the added amazing bonus that is Batman!!! I love to explore rock pools and caves, looking for crabs and fish. I can’t wait for Luke to join me! He’s got his wellies…can we go now please??

Now my son is a HUGE fan of Jake and the Neverland Pirates, which you can catch on Disney Junior….

So as this is his holiday too, I had to get him a suitcase!! This came from Amazon for £21, and also comes with a back pack, swimming bag and wallet! He is set!
We also found this awesome Jake sun hat! He will easily look like he is sponsored by Jake, but he loves him!!

Last thing for Luke is this gorgeous jacket my mum spotted in a charity shop this week. It still has the original JoJo Maman Bebe label on it, suggesting it has never been work. And the original price tag of £32. My mum got this jacket for £1.99! Charity shops are absolute treasure troves – I never leave one empty handed!

Now my stuff – which has an added game of ‘Spot the Theme’…

Firstly, this amazing Minneapolis Baseball inspired shirt – I have wanted one of these for ages! And I finally decided to give in and treat myself. It’s gorgeous! And a bargain at £8!!

Next, this Brooklyn long vest top – now if you are familiar with my YouTube videos, you’ll know I always wear 2 shirts – it’s a personal preference, but I love layering. Always have done. So this shirt will look perfect with a white, cream or black shirt underneath.

Can you see a theme yet? Maybe my next purchase will help…

USA inspired socks! I you know me, I muddle all of my socks together – and when they are of a similar theme like these, they don’t look too odd! Haha…

For some reason, I had a big America theme shop – and I didn’t actually realise until I got home and looked at my new things.

Also, check out my amazing Dalmatian pjs! I got them in a ridiculously large size – but I find Primark sizes to be smaller than other places anyway, plus some have a tendency to shrink slightly in the wash.

Also, the bigger they are, the longer they are in the leg – which is one feature I struggle with! I have a 35′ inside leg – I find it very hard to find trousers long enough!

We did some shopping in some charity shops too – I love reading on holiday – I’m not sure why I read when I’m away, but not when I’m at home. Odd.
So these books were £1 each! It’s unlikely I’ll finish one, although I’ll take the 2 thrillers just in case.

Lastly, a trip to Superdrug to stock up on shampoo and conditioner and some face packs. We’re going away with Steve’s family, so the possibility of a girly night with my beautiful sister in law made me get some trusty packets of my favourite mud packs. These were on 4 for 3 at 99p each!

So hopefully I’ll bring you another blog before I go away on my holiday. Maybe a review – I have so many products!
Any you’d like to see? Leave me a comment!!

Ages and ages ago, before the dawn of time it would seem….I was tagged by the truly wonderful Andrea to do the ’20 Beauty Questions Tag’.
As you can probably work out, these are 20 questions, all based on beauty….stuff.

So I have finally got round to doing it…I hope you enjoy!!

Ok, Question 1. What is the one product you would grab if your house was on fire?
Wowzers…this is a difficult one. I would probably say concealer. I am a complete zombie in the mornings, and suffer every morning with dark circles under my eyes. The early morning feeds have inevitably caught up with me, and so I have to wear concealer every day. I’m not sure which brand though…they are all amazing!

Question 2. Which beauty vlogger would you want to do your make up?
I have a few – I’m such a rookie when it comes to make up. I’m terrible. But Chyaz (PunkChyaz), Abby (AbbysMakeUpHeaven), Sara (swalkermakeup) and Shelley (shellx85x) always look flawless and gorgeous.
So if any of those beauts want to come round and put my face on, I wouldn’t say no!

Question 3. Which celebrity do people think you look like?
The Wicked Witch of the West?
No, I have to say none. Although my maths teacher when I was in senior school used to call me Katie as I apparently looked like Katie Holmes. Sorry…I just don’t see it. (neither can you? That’s fine…there’s not even a slight resemblance!)

Question 4. Which beauty product do you save for your date night?
Date night? What’s that? Haha….
Steve and I, on the rare occasion we go out Luke Free, don’t really dress up or glamourise. We are perfectly happy just going to a Beefeater. But if the occasion arose that we were off somewhere a little more special, my date night product would be lipstick. I have SO many of the things, but I don’t wear them on a day to day basis. I’m more happy in nude lips with a gloss. But lipsticks? Means something special!!

Question 5. Which of your guy friends takes longest to get ready?
We only have a small, close network of friends. And since having Luke, we don’t see each other as much as I would like!
But it’s without a doubt my Steve – who takes longest to get ready.

Question 6. If you could create your own beauty product, what would it be?
I have be dreaming of a wonder product for years….I want to divulge – but I fear someone will see my idea and design it for themselves. That’s my job!
So, I shan’t tell you. Fingers crossed, one day, my dream will come true, and I’ll design and create this…idea – and make it a reality.
But on a slight tangent, I would like a nail polish that never chips. Is that too much to ask? I know I’m not alone with that.

Question 7. What’s your best beauty tip?
Definitely invest in a decent Day and Night cream. I have the Simple range and they are amazing!
First thing in the morning to wake my skin up and rehydrate, and night cream before bed to soften and lock in any moisture that would be lost over night. My skin has honestly never felt so good or looked so healthy.

Question 8. Which products do you like to splurge on?
I go through stages. Sometimes (like recently) I’ll buy every BB Cream on the market. Then it might be eyeshadows, or liners, or lip gloss. But I only buy from brands I’ve used and trust – so a lot of my make up collection is 17, Collection, ELF or MUA.

Question 9. Which beauty vloggers would you take on a shopping spree?
Sam – Piinksparkles. Have you seen her hauls? They are epic! She hauls every week it would seem and I am obsessed with watching them. I love how she isn’t afraid to wear bold and bright colours, or to go with wacky accessories. She is amazing. I encourage you all to watch her videos!!

Question 10. What is your signature scent?
Cacharel – Amor Amor. Wouldn’t leave the house without it. Beautiful scent for any season, especially spring and summer, but also helps to bring the floral hints into the colder months.

Question 11. I am on an endless quest for the perfect….
Eyeliner. I am getting more and more irritated with spending ages applying my eye liner, then half an hour later, it’s shifted below my eyes and I resemble a panda. Even waterproof ones do this to me.

Question 12. How many beauty products does it take to get ready?
On an average day, 10 – Primer, BB Cream, concealer, powder, blush, eye primer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss.
If I’m just chilling out at home though, I don’t bother with blush, lipgloss or mascara. So I can get it down to 7.

Question 13. What lipsticks/lip glosses are in your bag right now?
I have Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss, the Revlon Colorstay Lipstick in Creamy Coral, the NYC Applelicious Gloss Lip Balm in Caramel Apple and an Aloe Vera Vaseline tin.

Question 14. Who is your celebrity beauty icon?
I can’t say I have one. I’ve never followed beauty and fashion that closely…weak answer. Bad Harriet.

Question 15. Name the beauty brand you would love to be a spokesperson for?
Easy – ELF. I have most of their collection in my make up stash and can quite easily praise their quality, pricing and products all day. I would love to work for their team! I have always had amazing customer service – love!

Question 17. Favourite mascara right now?
As I only wear mascara when I go out, I don’t just wear one – because I’m not reaching for it everyday. So depending on what I’m doing, depends on which mascara I wear. If I’m just popping to the shop, just a brown mascara. But if I’m out all day or going out for a family event – then I get a black waterproof. But no favourites at the moment. Sorry!

Question 18. The last thing you purchased from Sephora?
Sadly, nothing. I have never purchased anything from them. But now they ship to the UK – this could change!

Question 19. I never try to be seen without wearing….concealer.
The bags under my eyes are worthy of the living dead. Concealer is a must for me.

And finally…
Question 20. The one beauty product you would always recommend?
One that needs no introduction, or any help being recognised in the beauty community – the Collection Lasting Perfection 16 Hour Concealer. It’s amazing! All the big beauty gurus use it, my friends use it, I use it. It’s just fab!

So thank you for reading this essay!! And than you also to the wonderful Andrea for tagging me!! I love tags!